Automatic sprinkler and alarm.



T. WILLIAMS & A. LEWIS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER AND ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

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AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER AND ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 25, 1912.

Application filed. June 28, 1911. Serial No. 635,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS WVILLIAMS and ALFRED LEWIS, both citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers and Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic sprinkler and alarm.

It is the object of this invention to provide an automatic sprinkler and alarm for installation in buildings as a means for giving warning in case of fire and to extinguish the fire and prevent its spreading beyond cert ain areas.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the above character which is simple in construction, efiicient in its operations, and which is easily and economically installed.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a diagram illustrating the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a section and partial elevation of the sprinkler. Fig. 3 is a detail of the automatic switch. Fig. 4 is a detail of a thermostatic switch employed in the invention. Fig. 5 is.a detail in vertical section of a mercury switch.

In the drawings, A represents a room which is fitted with the various elements constituting the present invention, and which invention comprises a series of sprinklers B disposed at suitable points on the walls and ceilings of the room A and an alarm C, here shown as consisting of the ordinary electric bell which may also be placed at any suitablepoint 0n the walls or ceiling of the room A, or may be situated at a point remote therefrom.

The sprinkler B consists of a tubular casing 2 which has a reduced portion 2 'at one end, which reduced portion is threaded on its exterior and adapted to be screwed'into the ordinary pipe coupling 3 at the terminus of a water supply pipe 4, as shown in Fig. 2; the supply pipe 1 leading from any suitable source of water supply and terminating in the coupling 3 at any point in which a sprinkler B is to be located. The outer enlarged end of the sprinkler casing 2 is threaded on its inner periphery to receive a threaded ring 5 on which a hemispherical perforated sprinkler head or nozzle 6 is mounted. The outer edge of the casing 2 has a grooved flange 7 formed thereon, which flange is adapted to receive a packing ring 8 against which an annular flange 9 on a hemispherical-shaped cap 10is adapted to rest; an inwardly extending flange 11 on the cap 10 extending within the inner periphery of the packing ring 8 to confine the packing ring 8 to the grooved flange 7 and prevent it from spreading when the cap 10 is clamped in place. The cap 10 is provided for the purpose of preventing the passage of water througlithe nozzle 6 and is designed to be automatically released in case of fire so as to permit the passage of water through the nozzle 6, as later described. The cap 10 is held in place on the casing 2 by means of a strap 12, here shown as consisting of an insulated electric conductor, which strap passes over an insulating block 13 disposed forward of the cap 10, and terminates at each end a short distance from the surface in which the casing is mounted. 'Theouter ends of thestrap 12 are connected to electrical conductors P and D by means of fusible connections 14.

Threaded inthe outer end'of the cap 10 is a bolt 15, the outer end of which is adapted to extend into a perforation formed in the block 13. -This bolt is provided for the pun 'pose of clamping the cap.10 securely in position against the packing ring 8, which action is accomplished by screwing the bolt 15 so that it will bear between the cap 10 and the block 13, and thereby press the former inwardly and the latter outwardly.

The conductor P isthe positive conductor of the ordinary lighting circuit, and D is an auxiliary conductor run paralleltherewith. The conductors P and D areconnected to the binding posts of the electric bell C. The negative conductor N of the lighting circuit parallels the conductors D and P, but is not electrically connected therewith in any manner, except through the medium of an automatic switch in case of emergency, as later described. The conductor N is connected to a contact spring 16 of the automatic switch, the contact point 17 of which switch connects with the conductor D. The contact spring 16 is held out of contact with the point .17 by means of a fusible member 18, which member'may be formed of any suitable material that will be quickly severed by the action of a flame; a celluloid strap being preferably employed. This strap has one end attached to the outer end of the spring 16, and the other end attached to a post 19 on a plate 20; the strap 18 being of such length as to hold the outer end of the spring away from the contact point 17, as shown in Fig. 3. The plate 20 carries the terminal blocks on which the contacts 16 and 17 are mounted and is placed upon the walls,

ceiling or floor of a room, or in any other location that may be desired.

Any number of the automatic switches just described may be employed as may be found necessary and as the particular occasion may require; likewise any number of the alarm bells C and sprinklers B may be used as needed.

It will be noted that the conductors P and D are both constantly energized with the positive current flowing from the source of current supply, while the conductor N is charged with the negative current, as is the contact spring 16, returning to the source of current supply, from which it will be seen that when the fusible member 18 is severed to allow the contact spring 16 to contact the point 17 a current will be caused to flow through the alarm bell G and through the conductor 12 on the sprinkler B. The current passing through the bell G causes the alarm to be sounded, the bell C operating in the usual manner, while the current passing through the fuses 14 from the conductor P to the conductor D will burn out the fuses 14 and thereby release the cap 10 on the nozzle 2 so as to allow the escape of water through the perforated nozzle 6. The

water' passing through the hemispherical-.

shaped nozzle 6 is spread so as to be projected upon the surface exposed to or being consumed by the flames which caused the closing of the automatic switch 1617.

It is manifest that the automatic connecting of the conductors N and P may be accomplished by other means than that just described; in fact, under some circumstances it is found desirable to provide a thermostatic switch, such as is shown in Fig. 4, where it is not practical to depend upon the direct action of the flames for operating the switch shown in Fig. 3. In this arrangement exp-audible plates 21 are connected at one end to a lever 22 and to a rigid'support at the other, in such manner that, as they are expanded by heat, they will cause the lever 22 to move upward.

The upward movement of the lever 22 causes a toothed rack 23 on the outer end thereof to actuate a pinion 24 on the lower end of an arm 25 in such manner as to move the outer end of the latter into contact with a switch terminal 26. The pinion 24 being connected to the conductor N and the terminal 26 being connected to the conductor D, causes a current to pass from one to the other and thereby operate the alarm hell 0 and sprinkler B, as before described. Other thermostatic devices adapted to make a connection between the conductors N and D may be employed if desired, such, for instance, as a mercury thermometer shown in Fig. 5, in which the conductor N connects with the mercury 27, and the conductor D terminates such distance above the mercury that a circuit will be completed when the mercury is sufliciently expanded by the action of heat and contacts the conductor D.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent is 1. In an automatic sprinkler and alarm, a sprinkler comprising a casing, a sprinkler head mounted therein, a cap for closing said sprinkler head, means for holding said cap in place, consisting of an electrical conductor on an electric circuit, and fusible members attached to said conductor adapted to fuse on the passage of current therethrough to release the cap on the sprinkler head.

2. In an automatic sprinkler and alarm, a sprinkler comprising a casing, a sprinkler head mounted therein, a cap for closing said sprinkler head, means for holding said cap in place, consisting of an electrical conductor on an electric circuit, fusible members attached to said conductor adapted to fuse on the passage of current therethrough to release the cap on the sprinkler head, and means operative by the action of heat for directing a current through said conductor.

3. In an automatic sprinkler and alarm, a sprinkler comprising a casing, a sprinkler head mounted therein, a cap for closing said sprinkler head, means for holding said cap in place, consisting of an electrical conductor on an electric circuit, fusible mem bers attached to said conductor adapted to fuse on the passage of current therethrough to release the cap on the sprinkler head, and means operative by the act-ion of heat for directing a current through said conductor, said means consisting of a normally open switch, and means operated by heat for closing said switch.

4. In an automatic sprinkler and alarm, a sprinkler comprising a casing, a sprinkler head mounted therein, a cap for closing said sprinkler head, means for holding said cap in place, consisting of an electrical conductor on an electric circuit, fusible members attached to said conductor adapted to fuse on the passage of current therethrough to release the cap on the sprinkler head,

means operative by the action of heat for set our hands in the presence of two subdirecting a current through said conductor, scribing Witnesses.

said means consisting of a normally 0 en THOS. WILLIAMS. switch and means operated by heat for 0 0s- AIJFRED LEWIS. ing said switch, and means whereby the clos- Witnesses: ing of said switch Will sound an alarm. R. S. BERRY,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto JOHN H. HERRING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. C. 

